Support and spacer for concrete reinforcement



Feb. 10, 1942.

J. L. CALLAWAY, JR

SUPPORT AND SPACER FOR CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT Filed Feb. 5, 1940 2 .5 a,m 0 I I L i w m 5 n kl /.8

INVENTOR' & A TTOR AZYS r J w W A L L A c L M J Patented Feb. 10, 1942SUPPORT AND SPACER FOR CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT John L. Callaway, Jr.,Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Connors Steel Company, a corporation ofDelaware Application February 5, 1940, Serial No. 317,339

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a support and spacer for concrete reinforcementdesigned both properly to support and space reinforcing bars assembledat different levels in a form for pouring a concrete slab, beam,footing, or the like.

More particularly, my invention contemplates an extremely simpleconstruction in which bars are welded together to form X-shaped standswhich are rigidly connected by a horizontal tie bar disposed at thepredetermined level required for supporting the lower course ofreinforcing bars, a temperature or support bar being cradled in the topcrotch of the X-stands at the predetermined level for the support of theupper course of reinforcing bars. Preferably the X-stands are assembledon centers corresponding to the spacing of the bars in the upper courseso that they may also serve the function of correctly spacing theseupper bars. The lower tie bar may carry foot supports intermediate theX-stands, which may serve to correctly space the lower course of barsand, if desired, to secure them fast in staggered relationship to theupper bars.

My structure requires merely the simplest form of welding to produce thestand bar assembly and the stands have the special advantage ofcorrectly placing the temperature or upper support bars in the slab andof supporting on them the upper course of reinforcing bars.

My invention further comprises the novel details of construction andarrangement of parts which, in their preferred embodiments only, areillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the reinforcement assembly for aconcrete slab, showing one of my improved support and spacer elementsinterposed where the bars are disposed at different levels.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view enlarged and broken away of mysupport and spacer assembly unit.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation enlarged of my support and assembly unitwith its supplemental legs and stands modified to permit tyingreinforcing bars in position on the support when such is required.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout thedrawing.

In the embodiment of my invention, I show my improved support and spacerunits for concrete reinforcement as comprising a series of X- standsformed by the members 5 and B which are crossed near their upper endsand there welded at I. The legs 6 are cross connected, at apredetermined elevation above the base level of the stands, by means ofthe tie bar'a which is. welded, or otherwise made fast, to each leg 6 soas to assemble the stands in rigid relationship for transport and use onthe job.

The stand elements 5, 6 and 8 can be of rods or wire of suitable gaugeand if the stands are spaced widely enough to require an intermediatesupport for the tie bar 8, short supplemental legs 9 can be welded tothe tie bar 8 between the X-stands and disposed preferably with the legs6. These supplemental legs 9, as shown in Fig. 2,

project far enough above the bar 8 to serve as a means for centering orspacing the lower reinforcing bars [0 and, if desired, as shown in Fig.3, their upper ends may extend far enough above the bar 8 to form tiemembers II by bending them over the bars H] to secure them in positionwhere such is required. The ordinary temperature bar, or equivalentsupport element, I2 is placed loosely in the top crotches formed by theX-stands and does not need to be made fast thereto, thus leaving it tobe placed in position only after the bars I0 of the lower course are inplace. This leaves free the selection of the elements [2 to suit the jobsince they are not integral with the support.

It is contemplated that the reinforcing bars l3, forming the uppercourse of reinforcement, will be positioned against or alongside theX-st'=f:nds, and if desired, as shown in Fig. 3, one of the stand legelements 5 or 6 can be sufficiently elongated to provide a tie end I4which is adapted to be bent over to tie or secure the adjacent upper barI3 in place.

The manner of use of my invention will be readily understood, theX-support and spacer units being set in parallel relationship normal tothe reinforcing bars they suport; the lower bars II] are then placed onthe supporting elements 8 and they can be tied in place thereon ifdesired; the temperature or support bars 12 are then dropped in aligningtop crotches of the X- stands; and the upper reinforcing bars I3 arethen set in place on the bars I2, alongside the X-stands if desired andtied in position in the manner described or otherwise.

In Fig. 1 the bars I3 of the upper course are shown bent down to thelevel of the lower bars l0 throughout the intermediate portion of theslab and throughout this portion both bars can be satisfactorilysupported by the single level spacer element l5, which forms no part ofmy present invention.

My improved unit assembly is very light, strong and quite adequate forits purposes, and offers no interference to the convenient placing ofthe several courses of reinforcement of the slab, nor to the flow of theconcrete.

While I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various other changes and modifications, without departing from thespirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitationsshall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as arespecifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A supporting and spacing element for concrete reinforcement,comprising a plurality of substantially X-shaped stands formed of a pairof support members secured together near the crotch of the X-shape andarranged in spaced parallel relation, and a longitudinal tie bar rigidlyconnected to the corresponding leg of a plurality of said stands anddisposed at an intermediate level between the base and the level of thetop crotch of said stands, said top crotches of the stands beingdisposed in alignment and adapted to receive and support a demountablebar for supporting an upper course of reinforcement and the said tie barbeing adapted to support a lower course of reinforcement, whereby saidelements are adapted to support an assembly of reinforcing bars lying indifferent levels.

2. A supporting and spacing element for concrete reinforcement accordingto claim 1, in which the X-stands are formed by straight rodsintersecting at an angle near their upper ends and there weldedtogether.

3. A supporting and spacing element for concrete reinforcement accordingto claim 1, in which the tie rod has rigidly attached thereto, betweensaid X-stands, supplemental supporting legs which extend far enoughabove said rod to be bent over and tie juxtaposed reinforcing rods infixed position on said tie rod.

JOHN L. CALLAWAY, JR.

